


Uncharted Waters

by hannelore



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, F/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2013-04-28
Packaged: 2017-12-09 20:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/777896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannelore/pseuds/hannelore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pema is talented at navigating Yue Bay, but a crush on a mysterious woman steers her into uncharted waters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Uncharted Waters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lilacsigil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacsigil/gifts).



> Many thanks to my terrific betas Bay and Delphi for their keen eye and great encouragement! Thank you Lilacsigil for the wonderfully inspirational prompts. You asked a lot of the questions that I had been pondering, so it was very fun to explore them through writing.

Pema loved the island best when the weather was wild, watching the dark clouds roll in over the skyline of Republic City. Some might come out to the docks for the sunrises or sunsets, but Pema's delight were the storms.

As she was heading down to the ferry dock, Pema spotted someone there, someone not wearing the acolytes' robes. The stranger turned around swiftly as if expecting an attack. Her eyes were red, her hands balled into fists.

"Where is the ferry?" She asked, her voice rough with anguish.

Pema blinked in confusion. "It's in the harbor across the bay because of the storm."

The woman cursed and paced along the dock, looking out onto Yue Harbor as if willing herself across the choppy waves.

"You can stay in the women's dormitory until morning," Pema said timidly, gesturing back up the hill. The woman's distress was agitating. Pema wasn't sure what to do.

"I would rather swim to Republic City than spend the night on this island," the woman said, glaring at Pema before looking back toward the water and making an abrupt, angry exclamation under her breath. Pema was almost convinced that she would really dive right in.

"There are smaller sailboats just up the dock," Pema said gently. "I'll take you to the city, all right?"

***

The woman didn't speak as they made their way across the harbor in the small boat. Pema was more terrified about getting in trouble for taking a boat out into the storm than the rough voyage itself. They were barely out into the bay when the waves started to churn more fiercely. Pema kept looking to the horizon, scanning for the lightning that would surely come.

Water sprayed over the edge of the boat, soaking the front of her robes. The woman wrapped her arms around herself, looking quite sick.

"We're almost there!" Pema yelled over the roar of the wind. She looked up briefly at the sails, her hands feeling frozen as they gripped the rope. The boat lurched suddenly and the woman looked up at Pema with a look of terror. "It's all right, we're going to be fine."

Finally, they arrived on the other side and Pema heaved a huge sigh of relief. A bolt of lightning crackled through the skies. Pema secured the small boat to the dock and climbed out, reaching for the woman's hand. The woman grasped it and uneasily pulled herself up onto the dock, suddenly clapping her other hand over her mouth.

Pema winced but the woman seemed to manage to pull herself together despite her queasy pallor. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly before lowering her hand.

"You should stay the night here in the city," she said. "It's too dangerous to go across the bay again."

"I can't," Pema said. "They'll know if I'm not back tonight, I -- " She knew it was already long past dinner, she wondered if they were looking for her.

The woman nodded and the thunder rumbled -- much closer now. "You'd better make it back safely," she said. "I'd never forgive myself if you didn't."

"Come visit me." Pema said as she stepped back into the boat. "Then you'll know I survived."

***

Pema swept the open courtyard, which seemed to be an exercise in futility as the wind brought even more leaves scuttling into her way. She was sure there must be some lesson in this, but for now it was only annoying and tiresome. Months had gone by since she saw the woman at the docks and still there was no sign of her.

She looked carefully to see if anyone was around and, seeing no one, Pema scurried down the steps to sit upon the stone ledge that looked out over the water. Staring out toward the harbor, she heard someone below her upon the path. She slowly moved back off the ledge and peered down over it, holding her breath for a moment as she realized who it was.

The woman from the ferry dock was sitting on a stone bench. Pema almost called down to her, but she heard someone else call out. A monk approached the woman, but Pema couldn't see her expression and their voices were too low for her to hear. He didn't sit beside the woman, instead he paced and gestured urgently. The woman shook her head in a response to some sort of plea, judging by the look on his face. In an effort to try to hear them, Pema leaned even further over the stone ledge and a bit of it crumbled off and clattered to the walkway below.

Pema gasped as she ducked back behind the ledge, just in time to hear the man call out in surprise. She grabbed her broom and dashed back up the stairs to the courtyard.

***

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

Pema stumbled back away from the sky bison's cave entrance, glancing over her shoulder. It was the woman from the ferry dock.

"I -- I came to feed the bison," Pema stammered. 

The woman put her hands on her hips, amused. "Empty-handed?"

"Well -- I -- " Pema paused briefly, feeling so uncharacteristically flustered. "I've already fed them."

"Really?" she said. "Let's go see how you did, then."

"It's not any business of yours anyway!" Pema protested, following the woman into the caves. "What are you --"

They both stopped at the sound of loud crunching. The bison lifted their enormous heads to look balefully at both of them. Pema let out a sigh of relief, which made the woman glance her way sharply. Pema only smiled up at her, triumphant. The woman snorted and stalked out of the tunnel. Pema hesitated, then followed her.

"Why are you up here?" Pema meant to make her voice sound a little more challenging, but it came out sounding petulant and child-like.

"It's none of your business," the woman snapped back. She looked unsettled and glanced around as if looking for something.

"Don't you remember me?" Pema swallowed hard, feeling the blush rise to her cheeks.

The woman looked startled for a moment and then she laughed suddenly, much to Pema's further embarrassment.

"Of course I do," she said. Her gaze then narrowed darkly. "But don't you dare tell anyone that you saw me at the dock that night."

Pema blinked, surprised. "Why would I?"

"Never mind." The woman waved a dismissive hand and started down the path. Pema hurried after her, feeling awkward stumbling after the woman's purposeful gait.

"Who are --"

"Lin?"

They both stopped. Pema turned and saw the monk she had seen before. Lin had not yet turned around. Pema felt as if the air had suddenly stilled around them. The monk looked worried; Lin crossed her arms and stared impassively off toward the horizon.

"Excuse me," Pema said meekly. "I'm supposed to be, ah, helping get breakfast ready."

Neither of them spoke as Pema scurried away down the path.

***

The rest of the week went by without incident, but Pema did not dare to go up and see the bison again. Now at least she had a name for the woman's face. Pema wanted to have words for the feelings she couldn't explain when she thought of Lin and the fantasies that surfaced in her dreams. 

"Pema? Aren't you coming to meditation?"

"I have chores in the greenhouse." Pema glanced up to see the head of her dormitory looking over at her. Pema was clutching her broom again; it was always an easy excuse to use to get out of being somewhere with the other acolytes. "I'll go to the evening meditation, I promise."

Pema sighed heavily as she watched them go up to the pavilion. She dragged her broom behind her as she headed for the greenhouse, setting it beside the door before walking in. In the heat of the day, the greenhouse was even more stifling than usual. She reached for the watering can and started to fill it with the hose that ran from the nearby house.

"Don't you have waterbenders for that sort of work?"

Pema looked up suddenly. That woman -- Lin -- was leaning against the greenhouse doorway, looking at Pema. But it wasn't the kind of look that Pema was used to getting from the other women, this look was something more like interest. Pema almost dropped the hose.

"I don't see why we'd need to," Pema said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Hard labor is important."

Lin crossed her arms over her chest and let out a snort. "Sounds like something a non-bender would say."

"Sounds like a reply that a _bender_ would make," Pema shot back, hefting the too-full watering can and starting on the lettuces.

"You don't know that I'm a bender," Lin countered, though out of the corner of her eye Pema thought Lin looked amused.

Pema was glad that plenty of work lifting heavy things kept her arms from shaking as she continued watering the plants. Inwardly, she was trembling. "I'm going to guess that I'm right."

Lin turned and walked out of the greenhouse. Pema set the watering can down hastily and went after her. Pema wanted to call after her, something to make her stay. Lying to the head of her dormitory, making up excuses around the other girls, that was all easy. But there was something about this unknown woman that made her stop in her tracks, made her mind go blank.

"Wait!"

"I thought I was bothering you," Lin said. She shrugged. "So I was leaving."

Pema felt her mind getting more scattered. "You weren't bothering me. I was just finishing."

"In that case, maybe we can try that boat ride again. Without all the lightning and vomit."

"You didn't -- " Pema stopped as Lin made a face at her. "Oh! All right," Pema said with a grin.

****

The sunlight was sparkling on the bay; the water was almost too calm, just the slightest breeze allowing them to move through the waves. Lin shaded her face against the sun, looking back at the island.

"Do you ever go into the city?" she asked Pema.

"I don't like to." Pema made a face, tugging on the sail. "It's too noisy, too hectic. Some of the other acolytes do, but I can hardly remember the last time I did."

"I suppose you were born on the island?"

"No, my parents came in from the city when he died." Pema glanced at the enormous statue of Avatar Aang in the bay. "It wasn't a very popular time to become an acolyte. Many of those who were on Air Temple Island from the beginning thought my parents and others like them weren't as dedicated as they were."

"So your parents are on the island as well?"

Pema glanced out past the statue toward the city. She hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

"They felt the hostility was too much," Pema said. "They wanted to leave... but I wanted to stay."

"You were too stubborn."

Pema let out a laugh, despite the tightness in her chest from thinking about her parents. "You figured that out just now?"

"I figured it out the other night."

Pema crouched down in the small boat, pretending to make sure a rope was securely fastened. She didn't want Lin to see her blushing.

"Do you want me to take you back to the city?"

"No," Lin said. Pema saw her looking toward the island again. "I've some business on the island still."

***

"I'd best go up to the pavilion," Pema said after they had secured the boat at the dock. "We were told Tenzin was going to come and greet us after meditation today and I'll get in trouble if I miss it."

"Oh really?" Lin raised an eyebrow. "I'd think he'd be too busy to mingle with the rabble."

Pema glared at Lin. "What is your problem with the acolytes?"

Lin looked surprised at Pema's outburst, then she shook her head abruptly. "Them? Nothing."

"Right," Pema said, dusting off her robes angrily. "Just a bunch of idiot non-benders. Sorry, I forgot."

Pema started up the path, but she felt Lin grab her hand. Pema froze, unprepared for the feeling that prickled up her spine at the moment of Lin's touch. Pema looked over her shoulder.

"You're better than all of them," Lin said. "Don't let anyone tell you that non-benders are useless, you understand?"

"That sounds pretty funny coming from you," Pema said with a laugh, but her laugh was shaky. There was nowhere to hide her blush now.

"Well, don't tell anyone I said such a thing." Lin looked down at Pema's hand as if she was just now aware that she was holding it. Pema was afraid someone might see them. Or maybe she was more afraid that Lin would let go.

"I'll go to the pavilion with you," Lin said, letting go of Pema's hand. "I could use some serenity."

***

Normally, even when she had to meditate with the others, Pema loved the pavilion. She felt the wind against her face, the coolness from the shaded roof. She knew Lin was sitting beside her, and behind her closed eyes, Pema could still see Lin's gaze. Her heart started to beat more quickly and she took a deep breath to slow it, to let her breath go out into the wind.

Just as she had started to calm, she heard a rustle of robes nearby and heard Lin whisper Tenzin's name. She opened her eyes just slightly -- it was the monk she had seen upon the path -- just in time to see him kneel down next to Lin and kiss her.

***

Pema joined the other acolytes in their regular devotions, she performed all of of her chores alongside them and took all of her meals in their company. She didn't want to be alone with her thoughts.

***

Pema caught Tenzin looking her way one evening in the dining hall. She tried to look away, but somehow his solemn and curious expression reminded her of Lin. She was tired of feeling sad and smiled back. He looked away quickly, but then glanced her way again, like a timid boy.

Pema had not seen Lin in months.

***

Pema rode the ferry back from the city, just having left Tenzin and several others there for the day. She felt giddy at his attention; the other girls in the dormitory were clearly jealous and possibly scandalized at his casual flirting, but Pema did not care.

As the ferry pulled in at the island dock, Pema startled. Lin was there. Her eyes were dark and sad. Pema hesitated, wondering why she had not seen Lin on the island that morning. Lin looked surprised when she saw Pema and gave her a half-hearted wave.

"We're not sailing back to the city until the evening," Pema said, looking down. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right, I'll just wait here," Lin said. When Pema looked up, she saw Lin was looking away. Pema felt her heart sink. Pema glanced over to the small sailboats.

"Don't bother," Lin said quietly. "I'll just wait."

"I don't mind."

***

Pema spent most of her free time sailing back and forth across the bay, back and forth and yet only staying upon the island. Yet as she crossed the bay with Lin again, she felt an overwhelming desire to follow her into the city. She wanted to know of Lin's life there, what she did. Pema felt exposed, as if Lin knew all about her and yet Pema knew nothing.

Lin did not speak until they were nearly to the city docks. "Wait."

Pema turned the boat into the waves, away from the docks, back into the bay. She glanced at Lin, puzzled. Lin pursed her lips tightly and looked away. Pema reached out with her free hand and touched Lin's hand. Lin glanced up in surprise. Pema's throat felt tight. "Take me around the bay one more time," Lin said.

The wind filled the sails and Pema felt as light as air as their boat carved back and forth across the waves, across the sunlit waters.


End file.
